Grain-spout.



,6. W. WORLEY.

GRAIN SPOUT. APPLICATION FILED MAY s. I915.

1,185,459, Patented May 30,1916.

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GEORGE W. TTOItIJilY,v 0F SALIX, IOWA.

GRAIN-srou'r. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application :filed May 5, 1915. Serial No. 26,093.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WORLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salix, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Spouts, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to flexible loading spouts of the telescopic kindemployed in loading grain, coal'or other substances into cars, etc., theprimary object of the invention being to provide a spout which may beeconomically manufactured and sold, which allows convenient applicationland removal of its sections, which provides for the adjustment of eachsection as occasion requires to remove a worn surface out of the path ofthe flowing material and to present anew surface over which the materialmay travel, which may be made of any convenient length desired and whichis adapted to give service for a long period and to be of greaterflexibility than spouts of ordinary construction.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing in which Figure, l is a perspective viewof a lieXible grain spout embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section through a portion of the spout on an enlargedscale. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken at right anglesto the section shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a vertical transversesection. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4t showing a slightmodification.

Referring to the drawing, l designates my improved flexible, telescopicloading spout, which comprises a seriesf joints or sections 2 andterminates at one end in an ejector nozzle 3.

Each joint or section 2 is made of sheet metal, and comprises a circularlongitudinally tapered or flaring body, the reduced end of one sectionbeing adapted to lit within the enlarged end of an adjacent section,while the enlarged end of the section in question receives the reducedend of another section. The forward or enlarged end of each yscopicallyextended and section is formed with an outwardly curvedv or turnedcontinuous stop flange 4, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The joints or sections 2 are carried and held in assembled relation bymeans of rings or bands 5 and link chains 6. The ring or bands 5encircle the enlarged ends of the joints or sections 2 and immediatelyin rear of the flanges 4, and the rings or bands throughout the seriesare lconnected by a pair of link chains 6 extending along the oppositesides of the spout. The flanges 4 prevent the joints or sections 2 fromslipping rearwardly out of engagement with the rings, and the latterfrom slipping forwardly out of engagement with the joints or sections,the rings or bandsv being retained in properly spaced relation by thecarrier chains 6.

As shown, the joints or sections 2 have a telescopic engagementthroughout the length of the spout, so that the latter may betelecontracted, or opened and closed in the ordinary way. Forconvenience I preferably construct each ring or band 5 of a single pieceof strap metal in the form' of two relatively movable or adjustablesemi-circular sections 7 and 8. These sections, when the ring is made ofa single piece of material, are provided at one side with end portions 9which overlap and are integrally connected and are provided at theirdiametrically'opposite side With end portions l0 which overlap and areindependent of connection with each other, thus allowing the band to beopened and closed on the lapping end portions 9 as hinges to permitofthe ready removal or application of a joint or section 2, as will bereadily understood.

The ends or lugs 9 and 10 are adapted to receive and engagecorresponding links of the carrierchain 6 and to be held in engagementtherewith by cotter or other fastening pins 1l` passing through openingsin the end portions 9 and 10 and holding the same against Vrelativemovement, while at the same time preventing the chains from slippinglaterally and becoming displaced. Hook-shaped clips or retaining members12 are secured to those diametrically opposite sides of each ring orband which are at right angles to the ends 9 and l0 and project over andbeyond the flange ends l of the joints or sections, thereby preventingforward displacement of the latter through or from the rings or bands.

Heretofore it has been common to make flexible loading spouts oftelescopic sheet metal joints or sections which in some constructionsare coupled by direct fastening or pivot pins, in others by pivotalconnections and links or braces, and in others 'by flexible carrierchains, but in all such constructions with which I am familiaradjustment of the spout sections to present new surfaces for wear canonly be carried out to a certain extent, and in most instances at thecost of time, trouble and labor. As Vis well known, the spout sectionsare subject to considerable wear from the flow-ing grain or material onthe low side,

which wear is accentuated and increased greatly at abrupt bends orangles. When a hole is worn in a section, it has been possibleheretofore to present a fresh surface for use by disconnecting thefastening connections at one side and revolving the section half wayaround so that the lugs or projections which engage the chain links; orbraces will be reversed and the section also inverted, but in allconstructions with` Vnecessary to employ a swivel connection between thenozzle or spout proper and the adjacent joint or section, in order toallow the nozzle to have bending motions. The chainsl or equivalentconnections, however, prevent any material flexion of the spout exceptin two. directions.

My invention overcomes these objections and provides a spout which ismore readily flexible in the usual directions and may also be adj-ustedto certain degrees in other directions, since the looseness of thejoints or sections fitting within the supporting rings permits saidsections to have universal angular adjustment with relation to eachother. Furthermore, my construction allows any section when worn orinjured beyond repair to be easily removed' by opening the adjacentsupporting ring, whereupon a new section may be readily entered in itsplace. A most important advantage of my construction, however, is thatany of the sections may be turned or rotated if necessary or desired adistance to present a fresh surfacefor wear after the one in use hasworn away, allowing a continuous rotation and series of adjustments forpresenting a corresponding number of wear surfaces where hitherto it hasbeen possible only to adjust the section once only to present a newsurface after the diametrically opposite one in use has been worn away.Moreover, no swivel is required at the delivery end of the spout, aseach section itself constitutes Va swivel. lt will also telescope moreeasily continuous flanges on the spout sections it will be obvious thatthe clips may engage at any point therewith, thus absolutely preventingmovement of the sections rearwardly out of engagement with the retainingclips, while allowing said sections to have free rotation. These andother advantages will be apparent from the foregoing description.

if desired, each supporting ring may be made of two independentsemi-circular sections 7 and 8, in which case the end portions 9 wouldbe independent or free from connection, the ring sections being heldunited by the chains and the fastening devices 1l.

l claim l. A flexible spout comprising supporting rings,flexibleelements coupling the rings, telescopic spout sections havingend portions provided with continuous flanges engaging the rings,whereby the spout sections are held from movement in one direction, andretaining means on the rings ensaid flanges to hold the sectionse fromdisplacement in the opposite direction while permitting rotation of thesame within the rings.

2. A flexible spout comprising supporting rings, flexible connectionsbetween the rings, telescopic joint sections. having flanged endsengaging the rings and hooked clips eoperating with said llanged ends toholdthe sections from displacement while permitting said sections to beturned or rotated in the rings. Y

3. A flexible spout comprising supporting` rings, flexible connectionsbetween the rings, telescopic spout sections engaging the rings, andcooperating retaining elements porting rings having diametricallyopposite end portions, link chains having links engaged With said endportions, fastening means engaging the end portions and holding therings closed and the chain links from displacement, joint sectionshaving flanged ends engaging the rings to hold said sections fromdisplacement in one direction, and clips for holding said sections fromdisplacement in the reverse direction, 1Q

said ianges and clips permitting the joint sections to turn or rotateWithin the rings.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. WORLEY. tWitnessesz R. N. RAWsoN, J. H. HAYES.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for ive centi each, by addressingthe Commiuioner o! latenti,

Washington, D. C.

